PROS & CONS to buying a Mooney

[Glenn]

I admit that I was looking for a Piper Arrow, back in 1984 when I wound up buying a 1967 M20F.  The interesting part is that I still own it.  It has, over the years, been upgraded beyond any reasonable resale price, but the airplane has been a joy to fly for almost 30 years, and I feel that the utility that I have received, has been well worth the expense.  It is not unusual to see Mooney owners do this.  I believe it is because they truly enjoy the way the airplane flies, and the inherent safety of the airframe.  This model Mooney provides a great combination of speed, economy, useful load, range, and reliability. After flying one for 29 years, there is not another single engine airplane that I would rather own.

[Marauder]

I admit that I was looking for a Piper Arrow, back in 1984 when I wound up buying a 1967 M20F. The interesting part is that I still own it. It has, over the years, been upgraded beyond any reasonable resale price, but the airplane has been a joy to fly for almost 30 years, and I feel that the utility that I have received, has been well worth the expense. It is not unusual to see Mooney owners do this. I believe it is because they truly enjoy the way the airplane flies, and the inherent safety of the airframe. This model Mooney provides a great combination of speed, economy, useful load, range, and reliability. After flying one for 29 years, there is not another single engine airplane that I would rather own.

My sentiments exactly Glenn. For my needs and wants, the plane has exceeded all of my expectations.

[PMcClure]

 

On loading a Mooney - it's not that there isn't a whole bunch of room (especially in a long body Ovation with the back seats folded down) but compared to brand C, managing larger items through the little baggage door and the single entry door requires a little more thinking before you start tossing stuff in. 

 

This is very true. There is plenty of room in the Mooney but loading is not as easy with the small baggage door and single cabin door. The F model has some awesome load capabilities. When comparing against the C-182, you have to consider the amount of fuel needed for the trip. With the F burning 9 gph on a 3 hour trip means you only need 36 gal of fuel (with 1 hour reserve). With a 1000# useful load, you can haul 4 180lb people plus 60# of luggage and still be legal. And you can go 560nm non stop. Hard to beat!

[Bennett]

I con concur with lots of small bags. I use quite a few small zipper cases to line the floor of the baggage compartment. Such "stuff" as spare oil, clean rags, window cleaning materials, various small parts and spares, extra spark plugs, small square (Fuji) water bottles, two small tool bags, various size batteries in plastic cases, an APU electrical fitting, bag of miscellaneous fuses and a volt/ohmmeter, etc. All these bags have plastic luggage tag like labels, and they take up vey little space. The aft weight is helpful. I also always keep a survival bag at the rear of the baggage compartment, above this first layer. This leaves quite a bit of useful space for soft luggage, and the like. Actually "raising" the floor of the baggage compartment this way makes it easier to load and unload the usual travel luggage.

[Tmarsha]

Excellent feedback, exactly what I was looking for. It's good to read the varying opinions. Thanks

[mschmuff]

There is a lot of great info here - love the soft side bag tip!!  

Now for my $.02!!

I did my commercial and CFI in a 182RG and loved it.  Two doors are great, its roomy and can carry a lot.  Landing is simple and with those huge flaps - easy to slow down.  The RG did about 130kts on about 13/14 GPH depending on how you leaned it.  It was an easy aircraft to fly.

When it came time to buy - I loved the 182 BUT I BOUGHT A 1967 MOONEY M20F!!!

Why, because mine does 150kts on 9.72GPH!! Nothing else out there does that!! Or even comes close! But at the end of the day, it all depends on your mission!   I've had 4 guys in there with bags - it isn't great but it will do it....And with all the flying I do that accounts for 2% of my flying.  70% of the time I am by myself.  The remainder is with the wife and kid.....  

The key is learning how the Mooney flies and staying ahead of it.  It isn't difficult at all!! I actually think it is easier to fly specially in cross winds but you have to stay ahead of it and plan your arrivals.  

Good luck with whatever choice you make....you won't go wrong with a Mooney!

[Lood]

Another interesting fact that emerged, in my personal scenario, when I worked through my logbook a while ago. I fly an average of 60 hrs/year and I also analyzed such a year in my logbook. I was stunned when the I found that I fly alone in my Mooney for 92% of the said 60 odd hours flown in one year.

I was also looking for reasons to upgrade, because my Mooney became a bit limited (according to me), in terms of load carrying ability. After the above discovery, I just decided to live with the fact that I will drive to some places, maybe two or three times a year. That's also fun, now and then.

[Z W]

I've done the same thing, Lood.  The Mooney is perfect except about twice per year when I am trying to fit 4 adults or 3 adults and ski gear in it, and I have to run with minimum fuel to make the useful load work.  I hate running with minimum fuel.  I spend the whole time staring at the gauges and wondering, "Am I sure there's 30 gallons in there?"  

 

I am always sure, by the way, but somehow it still bugs me the whole flight.

 

But, to make those two trips per year easier, would I rather have a 182 that's 30 knots slower, or a Bonanza that burns 3 more GPH, for all the rest of my trips?  So far my answer is no.

[jetdriven]

A few extra gallons is safer than departing right at gross with minimum fuel and running out of gas. Although the risk of a post-crash fire is greatly minimized when running out of gas.

[smccray]

I'm surprised that no one has said it- the biggest disadvantage of the Mooney is getting in the plane.  I love my airplane, but getting in it isn't a cake walk.  As a frequent flyer in the Mooney I don't have any difficulty anymore, but bringing a new passenger along begins with a primer on how to get it.  Once inside it's adequately comfortable, but climbing in certainly isn't like climbing into a 182.  The trade off is efficiency which is a good tradeoff as far as I'm concerned, but it's a pilot's airplane- not for passenger comfort.

[fantom]

Keeping folks from slaming the door is always a challenge, even experienced Bo drivers.

[jetdriven]

The last Bonanza pilot I took for a ride exclaimed "Oh my god, is that the fuel flow?" It was showing 9 gallons an hour and about 140 knots.  I said "thats kinda high, then pulled it back to around 3.6 GPH." 'This is look at horse property speed now"

[Jeff_S]

'This is look at horse property speed now"

 

Huh? I'm usually pretty good at figuring out what people meant to write vs. what actually came out, but this one has me stumped.

[1964-M20E]

It took me a while also but I think he means flying low and slow looking at the ground below you.

[carusoam]

Is that similar to checking out your Jersey shore property speed?

Best regards,

-a-

[rakesb]

Does anyone know the interior cabin measurements of a 1966 Mooney M20C? How do they compare to a 1978 Cessna C172N?  I'm especially interested in the rear passenger seating space.
 

Thank you,

Bobby

(573) 337-3447

 

[Oscar Avalle]

Thes cessna has more space in the back...for sure...  But the M20C is faster and more efficient.

[Hank]

M20-C's are good 3-person machines; four adults are okay for short flights [1½-2 hours duration] only. Legroom depends on the front seat position; I fly in the middle notch, but unlike in my Honda, I don't scoot the seat further forward when flying.

 

Four burly guys will also require less than full tanks--my one trip that way was limited to 34 gallons, or 4 hours' worth [3 hours + 1 hour reserve]. Fortunately our destination was just under 2 hours away, and I carefully refilled to 17 gallons per side to go back. Can a 172 with four guys actually have useful load left for fuel? Memory says that my initial CFI told me many times that the Skyhawk has 4 seatbelts but won't fly with 4 adults.

 

Another thing:  loading baggage into the Mooney is a higher lift, but it's like loading the trunk of your car [although smaller]. Stack stuff right up to the ceiling, then load the back seat if nobody is sitting there. With a Cessna, the door is down low, and it's quite difficult to stack very high unless you crawl in with each bag and throw over the back seat.

 

It all boils down to your mission requirements. How do you plan to load the plane, how often, and  how far will you fly it?

[rakesb]

Thank you so much Oscar, Hank, and JimR.  I took the plunge and bought a M20C.

 

For insurance purposes, I need a plot with 500 hours total, 100 hours retractable, and 25 hours (make and model - M20) to ferry my M20C from Midwest Executive at Lee's Summit (KLXT) to TechnicAir at Kansas City Downtown (KMKC), a distance of only about 14 nm.

 

I also need a CFI, and again for insurance purposes, with the same minimum experience to provide 5 hours of flight instruction to me in the same aircraft, also preferably in the Kansas City area.

 

Can anyone help?

 

Thank you,

Bobby

rakes_bobby@hotmail.com

(573) 337-3447

[Hank]

Congratulations, Bobby! You'll really enjoy the plane. It's a great traveling machine, a steady IFR platform, and according to my DPE, "the perfect plane to work on your Commercial cert" which I haven't done.

 

I encourage you to check out the Mooney Aircraft Pilot's Assocation [www.mooneypilots.com ]; their website isn't the best, but there are some good articles there about how to configure your Mooney--look for M20C, as they have several different model reports. They also offer training [PPP = Pilot Proficiency Program] in various locations around the country every year. My first PPP was a month after I finished transition training and insurance dual instruction, and I found it very valuable.

 

Fly safe!

[Z W]

I sent you an email with contact info for a couple CFI's not too far away.

[rakesb]

Thank you so much, Zane, JimR, Hank, and Oscar.  I believe that I have locked in a retired airline captain and local (Kansas City area) CFI for the ferry mission, as well as for my initial insurance-required dual instruction in make and model.  I’m just waiting for final confirmation from him.  Many happy landings!  :-)

 

Thanks again,

Bobby

[Jerry 5TJ]

Approaching SNA years ago an airliner complained about being slotted in behind me, a GA plane. Approach responded, "traffic ahead is a Mooney making 160 knots over the ground" and that ended his whining.

[rakesb]

Thank you so much for sharing, Jerry.  I was flying a rented 180-hp C172 into KLOU a few weeks ago, and after clearing me to land, the tower cleared a Saratoga to land on the same runway, then advised me that the Saratoga would be overtaking me on final.  Being a <300-hour private pilot, I wanted know part of that, and asked the tower to hold for the Saratoga.  As I completed my 360-degree left turn, the tower again cleared me to land, and I asked about the Saratoga.  The tower advised that he was already on the far end of the runway, so not a factor.  At the time, safety was all I had on my mind.  Later, I felt a little embarrassed that I had "chickened out" of just flying my normal approach and landing as cleared in what I considered a pretty fast airplane for me.  Hopefully, when I'm proficient in my M20C, I'll have the speed and the confidence to fly as cleared.

 

Thanks again,

Bobby

[1964-M20E]

Bobby

You do not have to accept directions from ATC if you do not feel they are safe. You made the decision you felt was best a the time do not beat yourself up over it. You kept youslef and the other guy safe.

I've had the tower clear somone to take off right after they cleared me to land and I have done a go around becasue I did not like the situation. No appologies just tower NXXXXX side stepping to the left for departing traffic going around.